Automobile wardrobe



Sept." 19,1933. c@ J. CARLISLE AUTOMOBILE WARDROBE Filed Nov. 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l Zmnentor Patented Sept. 19, 1933 i AUTOMOBILE WARDROBE Charles J. Carlisle, Goldwater, Mich.

Application Novembe r 3, 19 32. a Serial No. 641,078

3 Claims. (Cl; 296 -37) This invention relates to a wardrobe for automobiles, the same being of the type supported within the top of the vehicle as shown for example, in my Patent 1,726,257, issued on August 27, 1929.

An object of the present invention is to provide a wardrobe having a bottom or tray section adapted to swing downwardly relative to the top or cover section, thereby to afford access to the contents without removing the entire device from the vehicle cover.

Another object is to provide a wardrobe which can be easily detached bodily and taken from the vehicle, thereby permitting its use as a portable article of luggage, which can be taken to the room when a destination is reached.

A further object is to provide simple and eflicient means for fastening both the bottom and u top sections against downward swinging moveinvention resides in the combination and arment, said means being shiftable at will to release either or both of the sections.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds the rangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein-disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings Figure 1 is a top plan view of a portion'of a vehicle top having a part broken away to show section through the hinge and .50. tive position of the parts when the Wardrobe is swung downwardly bodily.

Referring to the figures by characters of ref erence, 1 designates a vehicle top of the usual construction provided with cross members 2 constituting portions of the frame of the top.

These members provide a space 3 within the frame which extendsfrom one side member 4 Y to the 1 other. .A fabric .or other materials covers the bottom of the top frame as usual but is cut away under the space 3 to provide an opening 6 adapted normally to be closed by the wardrobe as hereinafter explained.

Secured to one of the side members 4 above one side of opening 6 is a hinge plate 7 the lower 'portion of which is bent upwardly. to form a channel 8 under which the material 5 extends.

See Figures 6 and 7.

Normally seated in channel 8 is a channeled flange 9 offset from the lower portion of a hinge plate 10 which is secured to the boxlike cover section 11 of a wardrobe. This section coversa 70.

bottom or tray section 12 and a hinge 13 located at'thatend'of section 11 nearest plate '1' serves to 'connect to two sections so that the bottom or tray section can swing downwardly relative to the cover section 11. r

The tray section 12 has its bottom surface covered with sheet material 14 like the material 5 and'this projects at its edges beyond the sections so as to extend under the walls of section 11 and meet the walls of opening 6. Thus when the wardrobe is in raised or normal position the bottom surface of the top 1 will be of usual appearance. Those wallsof the sections opposite the hingedly attached walls have openings 15 and 16 respectively which normally register with each other and with an opening 17 in one of the side members 4. A recess 18 in said member 4 communicates with opening 1'? and contains a spring catch 19 provided at its movable end with a tongue 20 which is seated normally in all of said openings, thereby holding the wardrobe in its raised position as in Figures 1 to 5.

A finger 21 extends downwardly from the tongue 20 through a slot 22 in the bottom of recess 18 where it is out of the way but can be reached readily to actuate the latch.

The interior of the bottom or tray section'12 can be provided with garment hangers 23, etc.,

whereby, when said section is lowered, the contents will be suspended properly.

In practice the tongue of latch 19 is shifted by pressure against finger 21 so as to disengage the bottom or tray section only. Said section.

can then be swung downwardly to the position indicated by broken lines in Figure 3 and 3 17.. low the user. to remove or insert articles. By

reversing the action the tray section can be fastened in raised or shut position. Should the ment it would be withdrawn from engagement with the bottom section 12 and the entire wardrobe would then swing downwardly about the hinge formed by plates 7 and 10. By then lift ing the hinge end of the wardrobe the flange 9,

which has a rolling contact with channel 8 will be disengaged or unhooked from the channel and the wardrobe can then be removed and carried conveniently to a point of use. Obviously the device can easily be reinserted, raised and fastened. v 7

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with a vehicle top having a space therein open at the bottom, of a wardrobe including an inverted box-like cover section, a tray or bottom section movably mount ed therein, a detachable hinge connection between the cover section and the top, and a latch connection between the top and both sections, said latch and hinge connections cooperating to supportthe wardrobe detachably within said top space to normally close the open bottom of the space. v

2. The combination with a vehicle ,top having a space therein open at the bottom, of a wardtherein, a detachable hinge connection betweenthe coversection and the top, a latch carried by the top and engaging both sections, and means for shifting the latch to release the sections successively, said latch and hinge cooperating to support the wardrobe within the top space and the bottom of the tray section within the. top opening and flush with the lower surface of the top, thereby to close. said opening. i CHARLES J. CARLISLE. 

